


Friends with Benefits

by Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw



Series: February Ficlet Challenge 2021 [9]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/F, Fake Marriage, Immigration & Emigration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:27:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29328525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw/pseuds/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw
Summary: Korra and Asami discover the many benefits to getting married.Pairing: Korra/Asami SatoPrompt: Alien
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Series: February Ficlet Challenge 2021 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2141604
Comments: 7
Kudos: 75
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2021: Apocalypse No





	Friends with Benefits

_Alien_. Korra glared at the word on the form she was wrangling with poorly-disguised hatred. How dehumanizing could you get? The immigrant/non-immigrant dichotomy held a certain bureaucratic logic. And at least foreigner carried connotations of class and intrigue. But alien? What did they think, she was going to beam them up in a flying saucer? 

“You okay, Korra?” Her roommate’s voice interrupted her frustrated reverie. Asami chuckled and put her bag down. “I haven’t seen you look that angrily at a piece of paper since our freshman stats midterm.” 

Korra sighed. She didn’t really want to talk about this with anyone, let alone put anything else on the engineering major’s crowded plate. “It’s just this form I need to fill out to renew my student visa.” She let out a low groan. “Just part of my life for the next two years.”

“Four, if you stick around for your masters,” Asami reminded her automatically. 

Four years, _if_ she stuck around for her masters. And then what, Korra thought? Leave her best friend. “Why can’t I just stay here as long as I like?” _Why can't I belong?_ Korra punctuated her frustration by flopping back on their couch.

Efficient as ever, Asami had already done some cursory googling. “Well, there are several paths to permanent residence. You don’t have a job with unusual skill requirements lined up, do you?”

“I’m a comparative religion major, Asami.”

“Mm. Your parents are both Water Tribe citizens, which rules out some other options. You aren’t planning on marrying a Republic City citizen, are you?” 

Was there something more than intellectual curiosity in those last two words, Korra wondered? “N-no. Nobody.” Korra snorted. “Trust me, if I were dating someone, you’d know - we spend all our time together, after all.”

“True.” Asami considered in silence. “Korra, if you don’t mind me asking, how much do you make per year?”

“Uh…” Korra totaled up her work-study stipend and the tiny salary Tenzin could afford to pay her for helping out at the Air Temple and named a small figure.

“What if we got married?” Before Korra could object (or celebrate), Asami continued. Korra thought she understood “filing a joint tax return,” started to feel her head swim around “marital household exemption” and definitely lost it by “tenants by the entirety.” 

“Whoa, are you seriously proposing...proposing?” Korra pulled down the hood on her RCU swim team hoodie in embarrassment. “That sounded better in my head. But seriously, Asami, I can’t ask you to do that!”

“Why not?” Asami shrugged. “As you said, we spend all our time together anyway. It shouldn’t be too hard to fake it for seven years or so. Then we can quietly divorce, and you’ll be 26 and a total catch.”

“Wait, I’ll be a catch? You’ll be gorgeous, rich, talented. You’ll probably have taken over full-time as CTO at Future Industries.” Korra felt her mouth run dry. “You were there for me when I was homesick, November of freshman year? Remember, when I barely left the dorm?”

A sudden tenderness welled up in Asami’s eyes, and she nodded. “How could I do any less for my best friend? You’re still the only one who treats me like a normal human being and not ‘Asami Sato, tech heiress.’ Trust me, Korra, marrying you would be no hardship.”

All the water from her mouth had definitely run to her palms. “Asami....Asami, do you want to go out? On a date?”

“Given that moments ago we were discussing marriage, this feels like a step backwards,” Asami quipped. “Yes, I would love to go on a date.” 


End file.
